Within the Stone Heart
Sul, Lharvion 22, 993 YK 194 days until the Day of Mourning The party entered the Ossuary/Orlassk, a pitch-black living maze of rock and crystalline tunnels. As they began to explore their surroundings, they found that the pock-marked rock was suffused with the black worms the party had encountered previously. They would eat away at the rock, forming new rock as they went along. It became clear that they had formed the tunnels here and would "heal" damage done to the surroundings. The party found this out as Siegfried attempted to use the Mashaak Raal's longsword to cut into the wall, only to have the longsword shatter and the blade explode, embedding the shards in the rock, soon pushed out by the worms. It was then that the distant tremors began, the beating of the Stone Heart at the center of the maze. Shortly thereafter, the party discovered they were being stalked through the maze by a solitary stoneghost that appeared invulnerable to most damage. The stoneghost was found to be an avatar of Orlassk and was unable to move while being observed, thanks to Orlassk and Belashyrra's feud. There was a slip-up, though, and the stoneghost caught Gin, instantly petrifying him and transferring some of Orlassk's essence into him. Both living statues now began to stalk the party. Throughout this all, the party had been following visual breadcrumbs left by a cultist of the Sight Unbound that had entered the Ossuary some time prior... and had slowly gone insane. Still, he had insight into what was happening. In order to read the messages left behind, Volik attuned to the Eye of the Beholder. After being hunted by both the stoneghost and Gin, the party managed to find a prominent central causeway filled with statues. It was here they found the Shield of Galifar. Ixen dropped a teleportation anchor here. It wasn't long before they managed to work their way to the center of the maze, where they discovered the Stone Heart: a massive humanoid-heart-shaped boulder, crystalline veins running from it into the floor, walls, and ceiling. Each quaking heartbeat sending lights cascading through the crystal, into the rock, causing the black worms to undulate through the rock, transforming the area a bit more. Here, at the Stone Heart itself, a rift was torn open in the air and two draconic claws pulled it apart. Ilthane’s voice rumbled orders to the two remaining Gentlemen, who proceeded through this rift and into the chamber. They were El-Akht, the Harbinger of Xoriat, and Za-Lat, the Scion of Dyrrn. Both of them had Ilthane’s mark emblazoned on their souls and identifying them as two more Testaments. Ilthane, through the gateway, began trying to perform the soul bind on Orlassk while the Gentlemen, now aware of the party, attacked. Ilthane’s assault forced Orlassk to relinquish control of Gin, unpetrifying him, so it could focus on defending itself. Siegfried used the Lion of Talisid to banish Za-Lat out of Orlassk’s internal demiplane so that El-Akht would be the target to focus on. The party managed to delay Ilthane long enough to shatter his connection and they killed El-Akht as he attempted to flee through the diminishing gateway. He also left a Testament in his wake: --- PILLAR I: BETTERMENT I did not know him well. He left for the eastlands of the Dar when I was completing my Trials of the Vast. I have precious few memories of him before that. There was a day when he returned to our lair from his post at the Pit. Weary and weak from his vigilance, he lay down and closed his eyes with not but a word. I crept upon him, still a wyrmling, seeking to understand. I would be like him, but I could not fathom how. He had a strength of will, a power greater than I could imagine. And he used it in service of the Light of Siberys. A hero among dragonkind. “Ilthane,” he said, one eye open, “what do you seek?” Fearful I had awoken him in anger, I darted back into the tunnels. His voice carried on the air, though he did not move. “Come, my son. You must not fear. It is a weakness that She would exploit.” And so I slunk forth from the safety of the shadows to find my father missing. With a furious speed, his claw landed, pinning me to the ground. I felt a leg break, a wing tear. I whimpered in pain. He released me. “Next time, you will be more cautious.” He healed me with magic and returned to slumber. It was then I decided to always strive for improvement. --- There was a brief clash with Orlassk as Ilthane departed, but after Josephine healed the Stone Heart, Orlassk calmed and allowed the party to retrieve the Shield of Galifar and depart with great ease. After returning to Cazhaak Draal, the party examined this Testament and used the Read History ability of Karuuk's Circlet to try to understand where it came from. They were able to discern that the Testament was formed from the bone of a young dragon and was implanted in the Gentleman by way of molding a piece of El-Akht's soul into the Testament. There was some strange duality in the fact that the physical Testament appeared to exist prior to the soul-molding, but that the molding also created the Testament in a way. How, precisely, that works, the party is unsure. It was then discovered that Ilthane seems to be the father of Nightscale, the aberrant-twisted young dragon that some of the party fought down in Khundrukar. Ilthane himself is the son of Rhashaak. Ixen knew a bit of information about the dragons of Argonessen and, if Ilthane's Testaments are to be believed, then Rhashaak was a member of an elite military force known as the Light of Siberys and was dedicated to guarding a location called the Pit of Five Sorrows. After exhausting their questions, the party was healed up and slept overnight in the Acropolis of Cazhaak Draal.